Flexural performance of T-shape light-weight concrete filled steel tubular girder

Abstract

This paper proposes an optimization study for both structure and materials to obtain an affordable, long-span, light-weight, and fast-constructing T-shape lightweight concrete-filled steel tubular (LWCFST) girder in order to be used in bridge construction. This research was performed on a hollow steel tube of Steel-52 (yield limit 360 MPa), which was filled with LWC. A set of parameters had been investigated to illustrate its effect on T-shape LWCFST girder stiffness, toughness, resilience, and ultimate carrying load capacity in order to obtain an equivalent stiffness to that of the typically used precast concrete girder. Based on design codes (EN 1994-1-1/Euro code 4 and ANSI/AISC 360-10) that permit the use of LWC as a filler material, the parameters considered were: the thickness of the steel tube, compressive strength of the filler concrete, and the bond condition between the steel tube and filler lightweight concrete. The yielding and ultimate bending capacity were determined based on the interpreted failure criteria of T-shape LWCFST girder, considering non-linear analysis for both material and loads using ANSYSWORKBENCH software. The results showed that T-shape LWCFST girder can be employed as a significant relative economic alternative to a typical precast girder in the bridge construction field, thanks to its high stiffness/weight ratio. The lightweight concrete inside was effectively employed to delay the local web buckling of the steel tube to increase its bending capacity. In addition, it reduced the total self-weight of the bridge’s superstructure by 20% compared with a typical precast concrete girder. The dominant failure of T-shape LWCFST girders was found in the upper concrete slab due to the compression stress, even though the tensile cracks in the filler concrete occurred after reaching tensile yield stress in the steel tube. Additionally, increasing the value of friction coefficient between steel tube and lightweight concrete up to 0.8 was found to significantly affect the girder stiffness and has a slight effect after, no matter how high it is.